Mail-catching device.



. E. MOODY. MAIL GATGHING DEVICE.

I APPLICATION FILED APE. 23,1910.

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977,963. Patented Dec. 6, i910. llllllll par RUFUS E. MOODY, OF NOVA, OHIO.

MAIL-CATCHIN G DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

Application filed April 23, 1910. Serial No. 557,262.

To all whom "it may concem:

Be it known that I, RUFUS E. MOODY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nova, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Catching Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mail catching devices, and the object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is extremely simple in construction, which may be easily and quickly attached, and which will sustain a mail bag without danger of the samedropping from the crane until the frame as well as the bag is deposited within the car or to a station as desired.

With the above, and other objects in view, which will appear as the description progresses, the invention resides in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

' In the accompanying drawings there has been illustrated a simple and preferred embodiment of the improvement, and in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car provided with my improvement showing the crane in the act of removing a bag from a station post. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the interior of the side of the car provided with the improvement and showing in diagram the electric connection.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates an ordinary mail car which is provided with the usual doorway 2.

The numeral 3 designates the station post, the same comprising a vertical timber or standard 4 having arms 7 and 8 provided with enlargements 5 and 6 whereby the same are connected with the post 4. The members 7 and 8 are adapted to receive the eyes 9 and 10 and a mail sack 11. The mail sack, in the present instance, is centrally provided with a band of some suitable conducting material so as to provide the armature 12.

, The numeral 13 designates the post which is positioned within the car 1. This post has its upper portion provided with a reduced extension whereby the same is slidably mounted within a bracket 14. The lower extremity of the post is provided with right angularly arranged substantially V- shaped depressions 16, the latter being adapted to engage substantially V-shaped projections 17 provided upon the head 15. By thus arranging the device, it will be noted that the post may be swung upwardly out of engagement with the members 17 so as to lock the said post in a right angular direction to the side of the car 1, and whereby mail received upon the post, in a manner to be hereinafter set forth, may be easily and quickly deposited within the doorway 2 of the car or the catching device, hereinafter to be described, may be thrown so as to be brought into position alongside of the car for catching the mail from the station ary post 4.

The numeral 18 designates the mail receiving crane, which is preferably constructed of a single strip of material and which may be secured to the post 13 in any desired manner. Connected with the spread arms of the member 18 are coils of suitable non-conductive wire 20, and the upper portion of the said wire is connected with a battery 22 while the extremities of both the upper and lower wires are provided with contact members adapted to be engaged by a switch 23 when the wires are to be energized. By this arrangement it will be noted that the inner or wider portion of the member 18 forms an electro-magnet, and it will be readily observed that when the crane engages the side of the bag 11. so as to bring the electro-magnet into contact with the armature 12 of the said bag, accidental removal of the latter will be entirely prevented.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. In combination with a stat-ion post and a mail bag loosely mounted thereon, said bag having its central portion provided with an electro-conductive member forming an armature, a receiving device, said receiving device comprising a crane having connected thereto an electro-magnet, and means for energizing or deenergizing the electromagnet. I

2. In combination with a suspending device, of a mail bag upon the same, said mail bag being provided with an armature, a receiving device comprising a substantially V-shaped crane, said crane having its enlarged portion wrapped to provide an elec tro-magnet, the crane and the electro-magnet being positioned within the path of the armature of the mail bag, the coils comprising the electro-magnet being connected with 10 other, an independent base for the post, said base being provided with substantially V-shaped projections adapted to engage the depressions of the post to retain the same in its swung position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 1.5

in presence of two witnesses.

RUFUS E. MOODY. \Vitnesses:

J. Y. FUHNER, LYDIA FISHER. 

